darwin

faceslice · Post by **faceslice** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 12:18 pm

hi all
how many on the forum have a darwin ??

Seamus · Post by **Seamus** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 7:51 pm

I don't know, but I can say I've been hoping to find one for about two years now!

GollyMrScience · Post by **GollyMrScience** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 8:34 am

I thought I did but when I went down to the GollyMrScience Razor Vault and checked I found they must have evolved.

Pauldog · Post by **Pauldog** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 10:35 am

I had to look this one up.

I don't think you mean this recent Chinese razor:
http://www.chinatraderonline.com/Men-Su ... 210915904/

If you're asking about a straight razor, I should move this thread to the straight razor area.

GollyMrScience · Post by **GollyMrScience** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 3:20 pm

I think the Darwin being referred to was the Brit answer to the Rolls Razor.
Similar strop and hone in a box housing it all with mechanical action to sharpen the semi permanent blades.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 4:12 pm

Tom, The Rolls too was British, was it not?
Regards,
Gordon

styptic screams · Post by **styptic screams** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 4:31 pm

GollyMrScience wrote:...I found they must have evolved.

I see what you did there.

GollyMrScience · Post by **GollyMrScience** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 6:21 pm

Yup both Brits - should have said it was the other Brit answer to the Rolls.
There was a US company iteration called Rolls Razor Inc. but I don't think they made the razors - just distribution. I tried tracking down some Rolls Razor parts and was referred to a fellow from the US but have had no contact with him for years.
I see way more Rolls than Darwins - probably only four Darwins in the past 10 years.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 9:41 pm

Tom, Whew!....had me worried there for a minute....all these year I was wrong about the Rolls?....how embarrassing that would have been. Along similiar lines, the Valet was an interesting one. Apparently, it was originally an American razor, but production actually shifted to England in the '20s and it too is generally considered, like the other two, to be a British auto-strop razor. According to his son, that's the razor Churchill used, at least in the 1930s.
Regards,
Gordon

GollyMrScience · Post by **GollyMrScience** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 9:27 am

Yes I tend to lump the self sharpening and stropping razors together. All of them are pretty darn neat to play with. Moving parts - little gears - inventive minds at work.
The Valet is pretty darn neat and I should dig more into its history. I assumed that since its inventor Henry Gaismen was from the US that the razor was a US product but licensed to others since I have examples of Valets made in England, US and Canada so they got around. I have a multi pack of Valet blades made in England as well so it wasn't just a case of licensing the razor manufacturing to other countries either.
Oh boy another fun research project coming up!
Auto-Strop was bought out by Gillette in 1930 so there must have been some enduing availability if Churchill used one. He obviously considered it a worthy shaver and the ability to keep it shaving sharp probably kept them in circulation for many years. Heck what am I saying???
I sill use one once in awhile!! LOL

Squire · Post by **Squire** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 1:30 pm

Possessing an inquisitive nature I tend to try things. This is not something that peaks my curiosity.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 1:31 pm

Tom, Yeah, I read a fairly comprehensive history of the Valet auto-strop somewhere on the internet. I'd never heard of them until that reference to Churchill popped up, and then I looked into them a little. I don't remember all the details but I think the very first ones were made in the US but during the 1920s the production was shifted increasingly to England. Why, I don't know. Perhaps those type of razors were more popular there, or having them 'Made in England' added cache? I imagine Churchill thought of it as an 'English razor' because he rarely went for foreign products, other than wines, brandy, and cigars.
Regards,
Gordon

GollyMrScience · Post by **GollyMrScience** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 3:59 pm

Well darn Squire I was thinking you might do a review.

GollyMrScience · Post by **GollyMrScience** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 4:30 pm

Rolls Razor also made a shaver that looked like an electric but was hand pumped with a lever on the side. I have one in my display case - called a Viceroy. I think they were made in the late 1930's. Fit and finish are really nice.
Rolls also made electric shavers later in the 40's.
I have not tried the hand crank shaver yet, though it has been in inventory for a few years. Someday.....

Squire · Post by **Squire** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 12:24 am

Tom, I started to say send me one and I would give it a go but don't bother. A friend of mine (retired engineer) knowing I had an interest in shaving stuff, brought a Rolls by the office to show it to me. I said "Nick did you ever shave with this thing?". He said "Naw, I shave with an electric".

bavi · Post by **bavi** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 12:45 am

i have a Darwin

GollyMrScience · Post by **GollyMrScience** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 9:27 am

LOL I know what you mean Squire, I had to double dog dare myself to try a Rolls. It went ok and I take one out to shave with on very rare occasions just to keep my hand in but it offers nothing over my new fangled Gillette Adjustables.
I do the same thing with a Valet though the Valet does not have the added benefit of having a hone in the kit to keep blades going longer like the Darwin or Rolls.
I think I do it just to see all the moving parts do their thing.

robert-00 · Post by **robert-00** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 2:41 pm

Link to some AutoStrop history:
http://www.safetyrazors.net/DEBladePage.htm

There was a Rolls history page but it has disappeared. Unfortunately, many of the useful links on safetyrazors.net are dead since Yahoo took over in 2009 and discontinued the original Geocities connections.

Also, the owner, Alan Appleby, has not updated the site since late 2006. Perhaps some of the old pages can be found on the internet archive site.

Pauldog · Post by **Pauldog** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 6:18 pm

Alan is working to restore his site, so I hope we'll soon be seeing the missing pages. I don't think he expected to become this popular or have his Schick injector razor coding scheme become so widely adopted.

faceslice · Post by **faceslice** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 4:58 am

hi bavi
another one ,is it the 3 piece design ,do you know the year of it??
any pics?.
the one i have came with a original blade ,twice or possibly 3 times thicker than a normal double edge blade, using a normal de blade its a very close shave ,as close as a slant or maybe closer , had a few weepers off of it everytime i use it .
the one i have is around 1920, it is unmarked ,cannot even polish it ,a rag with metal polish will not touch it , markings on it say its cobalt .its been made to last a life time for sure . it gleams more than everything else that i own ,in fact the finish is outstanding . i will take some pics shortly and post .

SMF

darwin

darwin

another darwin